HBO Max launches a group watch tool to stream full episodes on Snapchat - The Verge

HBO Max has partnered with Snapchat to bring full-length episodes of its series to the social media platform. With HBO Max Minis, users will be able to stream the pilots of select series with up to 63 other Snapchatters.

The feature was announced today and is offered through Minis, which launched late last year and hosts third-party app experiences within Snapchat. Minis allow users to do anything from meditate with Headspace to buy movie tickets with friends through Atom. And now, HBO Max Minis will allow anyone on Snapchat to view entire episodes of more than a dozen series from the streaming service for free, including pilots from Lovecraft Country and Game of Thrones. With synchronized playback, everyone watching the title will be able to stream the same title together.

Snapchat users will be able to access the HBO Max episodes through search or by clicking the rocket icon from chat. Once HBO Max Mini is launched, users will be required to verify their date of birth, which will filter which episodes are streamable. The full list of episodes available to stream on an age-restricted basis are as follows:

• Betty (season 2, episode 1)
• Craftopia
• Euphoria
• The Flight Attendant
• Game of Thrones
• Genera+ion
• Gossip Girl (2021)
• Looney Tunes
• Love Life
• Lovecraft Country
• Selena + Chef
• Titans
• Warrior
• World of Calm

Up to 64 users can join an HBO Max Mini session through a shared in-chat link or by clicking a shared sticker, and users will be able to chat and send reactions while streaming a title. The pilot episodes from the aforementioned series are free to stream even to users who aren’t subscribed to HBO Max. But users who are 18 years old and above will be prompted to subscribe to HBO Max to continue streaming a series once the pilot episode has ended.

Watch parties are an increasingly popular feature launched by major streamers. Apple, for example, is releasing a FaceTime integration later this year to support group streaming with SharePlay, but many streamers like Prime Video, Hulu, and Disney Plus have their own in-app group watch tools. HBO Max’s arrival on Minis marks the first major streamer to support streaming entire episodes without ever leaving Snapchat.

“People love to come together to watch their favorite HBO Max shows and talk about what’s unfolding,” Sarah Lyons, EVP of DTC global product management at HBO Max, said in a statement. “Our partnership with Snapchat is another step towards fulfilling that desire for human connection and providing our fans with co-viewing opportunities, while deepening their emotional relationship with the brand.”

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